Cristiano Ronaldo got the better of perennial rival Lionel Messi once again by retaining the Fifa Ballon d'Or.

The Real Madrid superstar, who was also named in Fifa's team of the year alongside fellow Ballon d'Or nominees Messi and Manuel Neuer, picked up his third World Player of the Year Award at the award ceremony on Tuesday morning (Singapore time) in Zurich.

Barcelona forward Messi had to settle for second place ahead of Bayern Munich's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Ronaldo has won the award in its current format for two consecutive years and was named Fifa World Player of the Year in 2008.

As for the Puskas Award for goal of the year, there was no a fairytale ending for Irish striker Stephanie Roche as she lost out to Colombian attacking midfielder James Rodriguez.

The 23-year-old Real Madrid player beat Roche as well as Manchester United's Dutch striker Robin van Persie with his unforgettable long-range volley against Uruguay in the World Cup quarter-finals in Brazil.

If Roche's goal - a sublime volley from outside the box for Irish club Peamount United after she had flicked the ball over her head - had won, she would have become the first female winner of the award.

​Wolfsburg midfielder Nadine Kessler edged out five-time winner Marta of Brazil to be named Women's World Player of the Year. Veteran United States striker Abbey Wambach came third.

Joachim Loew, who coached Germany to their World Cup triumph, was named World Coach of the Year ahead of Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone.

In the women's equivalent, Wolfsburg's Ralf Kellermann beat Germany Under-20's Maren Meinert and Japan's Norio Sasaki to take home the award.